154 Annals Entomological Society of America [Vol. I, 



things, our general meetings must be few and far between, and 

 coming as they do during the meetings of larger bodies, little 

 time can be devoted to them. Under such conditions, it appears 

 to me that the reading of papers should be only a minor part of the 

 business at such meetings, as it makes very little difference, except 

 for the opportunity of discussing them, whether papers are read 

 to us or reach us through one of the many channels for publica- 

 tion, and might it not be well to reserve some of the time at our 

 disposal for a general discussion on the Science of entomology and 

 how our Society can best contribute to its advancement and be 

 made continually more useful, as it seems to me of the highest im- 

 portance that when we get a lot of prominent entomologists to- 

 gether, we should devote a considerable part of the time at our 

 disposal to doing something to advance the general interests of 

 the Science. 



Might it not also be well, in view of the large membership of 

 the Society, to remove, at least partially, the restriction limiting 

 membership in the Executive Committee to Fellows of the Society, 

 in order that the Committee may be enlarged and rendered more 

 truly representative, enabling the amateurs to have better repre- 

 sentation, and also making it possible to appoint a number of 

 representative sub-committees for the purpose of dealing with 

 various matters between meetings of the Society, such as the 

 questions propounded by Dr. Felt at this meeting in regard to 

 nomenclature, and preparing reports for presentation to the 

 Society at its annual meeting. 



Should not the Society also exert its influence against any 

 tendency to make entomological appointments in any way depen- 

 dent upon political affiliations, or upon any basis except scientific 

 fitness for the position, and is it too much to hope that the Society 

 may be able to do something toward bring about some approach 

 to stability of nomenclature, either by frowning upon needless 

 and erratic changes or by itself issuing standard lists, which 

 would represent the combined wisdom of the niany, rather than 

 the views of an individual. 



I hope that at least some of the suggestions which I have 

 ventured to make may be thought worthy of your consideration. 



